A Crime Has Been Committed.

David James had been playing music two days beforehis hospital admission

May James believes she should not bereading sympathy cards and preparing for her husband David's funeral.

When his heart stopped beating on New Year's Eve, doctors at the hospital he had been taken to - which cannot be named for legal reasons - did not resuscitate him.

The hospital trust was exercising a right it had won in court. But the family believes that was not a doctor's choice to make."I told the doctor, 'you think you're gods but you are not'," said Mrs James.

Who has the right to judge anybody's quality of life?

May James -widow of David James

"And there is no doctor on this earth who can predict when a person is going
to die."Her daughter Julie added: "Where there is life I think doctors should do
everything they can to preserve life."Mr James, 69, was a talented and fit musician who had been performing two
nights before he fell ill in May last year when he was admitted.He contracted an infection and his condition worsened. He eventually suffered
kidney failure and brain damageThe trust then decided it would not be in his best interest to resuscitate or
treat him for his kidney condition. Mr James's family, who are from the north west of England challenged this in
court but the trust maintained: "The burdens of administering this treatment
outweigh the benefits
as there is little prospect of any meaningful recovery and therefore such
treatment is futile."

May James fears her husband's case could set a precedent

May James fears her husband's case could set a
precedent

The Appeal Court agreed with the hospital early last month, ruling that it
was acting in Mr James's best interests and praised the care he was receiving.
"Who has the right to judge anybody's quality of life?" said Mrs James.But his family argue that even at the end of his life he was waving and
smiling and would have wanted to live.Mr James's family is now seeking legal
advice because they are not happy with the care he received and would like
the judgement overturned.They say they want to set a precedent for other families who want to make
sure their wishes are respected. The hospital reiterated its position in court that it was acting in Mr
James's best interests and this had been backed by the court.It also restated the comment from the judges that Mr James had received good
care in the hospital.

About Me

I am distraught and I despair that these events have befallen this family. The picture is of me and my lovely mum, murdered on the NHS (National-socialist Health Service). Murdered. Is that too strong a word? Her life was taken without her permission. By omission and by commission, actions taken and not taken conspired to end her life. She was kept in ignorance of what was proceeding before her very eyes, as were we. Was she, then, not murdered?